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Jeremy Paterson
I approach consultancy from a human perspective – it’s my role to bring the benefit of my expertise and experience to your business from top to bottom, and to challenge your thinking, making sure that you get to the right answer. I invest time understanding you and your business to ensure that I understand the full spectrum of your goals and objectives.
This means I choose my clients carefully, working with ambitious agency owners who exhibit a vision that combines purpose, quality and commercial achievement. I believe these are essential for a successful and sustainable agency.
My clients will be seeking broad based business support and advice, will be open to change, will embrace innovation and will be excited by the opportunities this brings.
I work flexibly in accordance with client’s requirements and resources (time, people and budget). Practically this varies from a short-term project to focus on key tasks, to an ongoing Board advisory role, to a more immersed role supervising the implementation of strategic plans.
Areas of expertise
| Financial Planning | Performance and efficiency • Systems amd accounting • Financial management and budgeting |
| People: | HR management • Appraisal systems • Staff development • Employment Contracts/Handbook • Terms and conditions • Coaching • Mentoring |
| Business processes: | Business strategy and planning • Business diagnostics • Process management • Project management |
| Marketing: | New business development • Marketing strategy and planning • Client retention and development • Procurement |
Experience in the design industry
Design industry experience: 11-20 years
Three things inspire me
• Interesting challenges
• Interesting people
• Creativity and culture
Agencies provide all three. Over 15 years I have evolved and grown agencies and have a catalogue of achievements (and stories) behind me.
Experience across multiple agency sectors (strategy, design, content, sponsorship, digital and experiential) has led me to understand that agencies face common challenges – new business, retaining margins, time and overhead cost control and team development among others.
However, the skill most essential is my ability to listen to specific challenges, interpret and distill these into a bespoke solution. I focus on working with founders and leadership teams in SME agencies (teams between 5 and 40), defining challenges and creating frameworks with accountability structures that ensure delivery. I believe SME’s have to contend with particular hurdles, and I understand the evolving inherent challenges to growth in this environment.
By bridging the gap between operations, commercial and finance, and working with an understanding and empathy for the creative process we create transparency, and together ensure the right decisions are made confidently.
Key Services
Business Audit – a rapid critical business overview with a summary of recommended projects that deliver solutions
Business Strategy & Innovation Planning – Defining the commercial and operational business plan that will deliver your aspired success. This could include a reinvigorated proposition, an international expansion plan or incorporating a skillset extension.
Internal Transformation – creating process to redefine the business’ internal operations, creating an integral relationship between budgets and delivery, merging or restructuring business units, transforming culture to retain and attract the best talent or empowering teams to confidently develop organic growth.
External Transformation – changing the perception of the business externally. Ensuring that service is as valued as product output, or creating a comms strategy to drive awareness and inbound enquiries.
Testimonials
Here’s what just one of my clients said about working with me.
Ahmet Bozdemir, Finance Director
Resources
Our Experts regularly contribute their insight to the wealth of resources available at the DBA, from c-suite design foresight and financial planning to strategic design management, new business, leadership and beyond.
Tap into their expertise in our Resources area.
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